Pneumatic-tire fabric having annular elastic zones.



L. A. SUBBRS.

PNEUMATIG TIRE FABRIC HAVING ANNULAR ELASTIG ZONES.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.17, 1910.

1,026,836. Patented May 21, 1912.

LAWRENCE A. SUBERS, F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

PNEUMATIO-TIRE FABRIC HAVING lANNULAR. ELASTIC ZONES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1912.

`Application tiled October 17, 1910. Serial No. 587,631.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE A. SUBERS,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga 5 and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic- Tire Fabrics Having Annular Elastic Zones, of which I hereby declare the following to be u full, clear, and exact description, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it 'appertains to make and use the same.

The objects ofthe invention are to provide an automobile tire in which certain definitely predetermined annular portions or zones are capable of a greater amount of expansion than thepother portion or por` tions, whereby certain portions of the tire are 'caused to become more elastic and yielding than others.V Themore expansible or yielding portion or portions can be positioned in any part of the tread or side walls of the tire to form annular zones which will have more resiliency than other portions and will relieve the more rigid portions from the flexing strain caused by constant movementunder great pressure. In this fabric the annular zones of greater elasticity can be rpositioned wherever desired, near the tread surface or near the clencher rim or rim side, or at the tread, according to the action desired. If the more elastic zones are positioned ator near the tread surface that surface will become more resilient and softer in action, if they are positioned on both sides of the tire near the rim side the action of the tire willbe more resilient than if the zones were not employed and the tire will bend-at the resilient zones instead of at the 40 tread, thus giving lightness of action and resiliency where thev tire bends the most without all'ecting the rigidity of the tread surface or of the lower sides.

The prime object is to provide a. means 45 for obtainin azone or zones of increased elasticity an expansibility in any desired port-,ion of. thev tirey without lessening its strength land without division or patching of thev fabric,al1 parts thereof. being unitary .50 ini construction.

' Further pbjects 'are to provide an unwoven, laminated fabric formed ofcohesive interwoundmembers and sometimesl with spirall wound members also, which-is -tlexble an elastic and in which the component members are approximately .incapable of frictional action upon each other.

Further objects are to utilize a portion of intei'wound fabric Ain which metallic bands are incorporated to form anarmored or reinforced belt or insertion upon the tread side of the tire whereby the tire is rendered substantially puncture proof and not liable to injury or abrasion from the ordinary cutting and perforating objects encountered in actual service.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, hereinafter more fully described and specifically pointed out in Vthc claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tire with the layers brokenI away showing .the exterior rubber cover or cushion, a layer composed of interwound bands formed of untwisted cabled threads embedded in rubber regularly spaced to form a two group system of the same general character as shown in my application Ser. No. 540,982-liled January 31, 1910, a second layer composed of a spiral twisted cord or cords and a third layercomposed of bands formed of untwisted cabled threads embedded in rubber arranged in a two group system similar tc that`shown in the first layer. The arrangementof the zones of lvaried expansibility is clearly shown in this view;.Fig. 2 .is a similar view showing two layers of twisted cords applied at right angles to each other, each containing a zone of expansion; Fi 3"is a similar view showing two layers of -abric composed each of bands of twisted cords, interwound in a four grou system, as described Vin my previous application referred to, and each layer is provided with an annular expansion zone; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a tire, the position of expansion zones near the rim side 'being indicated by means of dotted lines, and also showing an armored strip in section; Fig. 5 is a similar View showing expansion zones near the t-read side, it also shows an armored belt in transverse section; Fig. 6 is a side view of a cord having twisted zones therein.

Inr these views in Fig. 1 a two ply layer4 1 is shown, having a heav coating L of unvulcanized xrubber, whic Figs. 4 and 5.. The mandrel employed is perfectly strai htfand cylindrical since the .fabric is boun together with a tenacious is shown in canized. To accomplish this result the tube is cut through longitudinally for removal from the mandrel, and the cut edges of the fabric layers c-c are separat d and molded over the beads B at the rim ide to form aA tire, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, The first layerl shown is composed of equally spaced bands b, I), of cabled thread embedded in rubber, and is constructed by the same principle of interwinding as described in myv former application hereinbefore mentioned. First a series of parallel equally spaced rubbered bands are wound upon the mand-rel at an angle of substantially 45 to any longitudinal surface line in that layer. Upon this series of bands is wound a similar series i of equally spaced bands, at approximately right angles thereto, or'at an angle of 135C. to the said longitudinal surface line; upon this second serles is wound a third series of bands in parallel rows, equally spaced apart and positioned intermediate of the rows of bands of the first series, and a fourth series of bands'parallel to the said second series is wound upon the third series and positioned intermediate of the bands comprising the second series, so that all openings are covered and a two ply fabric is constructed whichl is compressed until the bands of one series fill the openings between the bands of the other-series,'and the edges of the bands of one series engage the edges of the -parallel bands composing the other series, thus preventing the bands from sliding upon each other.v This layer is capable of expansion at th'e tread side and while givin longitudinal strength to the tire is resilient and compressible, toa high degree. The layer is not woven, braided,l interlaced, or inter-v loclred, but the lbands are bound together to form a unitary layer by means of the ru'bber binding incorporated therewith. This manner of constructing a layer maybe designated a two group system. The manner of embedding the bands in rubber, whether by winding'them in fluid rubberA or by coat-- ing them with rubber previously to winding them is immateria to this invention.

- They should be thoroughly coated and impregnated so as to reduce to a minimum the frictional .action of one member :upon another while the tire isfin motion andv .under compression, and after vulcanization thereoff The bands of cabled .yarns or threads have very little'twist and hence form a less rigid fabric than if formed of cords which have a large number .of twists per inch, and hence the friction `of one member on another isv lessened and the conditions of speedl and'compression endured in actual serv1ce are better prepared for and the life of the tire prolonged under rough usage.

The second layer 2 shown in F-ig. 1 is composed` of a transversely and spirally wound twisted cord or cords which under this method of construction when incorporated ina tire fabric. would make it eX- ceedingly rigid, expanding4 but littleV under high internall pressure but capable of being molded to the shape of the tire. To obtain the requisite amount of e-Xpansibility and of resiliency in this layer when incorporated in this specially designed tire fabric and to provide for this elasticity at exactly the desired position or positions in the tire, certain predetermined annular parts or zones in this layer are given greater elasticity, that is will expand to a higher degree than the body portion and will give to this layer resiliency where it will be of the greatest advantage in giving action and durability to the tire and prevent crushing or breaking of the fabric, which is peculiarly liable to occur l,at the sides or near the rim. Thisincreased amount of eXpansion in a. zone is obtained by means of in creasing the elasticity or stretching capabilities of each of the component twisted cords at the points where they form this zone, andis caused by increasing the number of twists per inch in the cords at'thosc points, the amount of twist being the same in all cords at corresponding points. instance, if the amount of twist is 1-6/10 perv inch in the main portion of an 'approximately 3/64" diameter cord or thread the number of twists per inch at the zonev portion of the cord can be from three to five twists per inch or even more according to the size and material of which the thread is composed and according to the amount of resiliency desired. Since the entire layer composed of such cords will expand under internal pressure, it will expand a proportionally greater amount at the zone portions than elsewhere. One of the cords is illustrated in Fig. 6, the regularly recurring zones Z, Z'shown with the intermediate more rigid portion T, the zones being of any length desired. The cords can' be twisted by machinery so that the zones will occur tervals and when Wound upon a mandrel For either as a single cord or in bands of cords y the layer of cords will have incorporated within it an annular zone or annular zones of a greater degree of elasticity than the body portion. In Figs. 1 and 4 these zones are shown at` --m upon the sides near'the rim side, and in Fig. 5 they 'are shown at y-y located on4 each side of the tread surface. In this manner the tire can be rubber provide the required flexibility without lessening the strength and with obvious increase 1n durability, and this layer is further designed to act with the other fibrous members in ,withstanding the various stresses to which the tire is subjected.

The annular zone system for making predetermined portions of the tire more resilient than others may be worked out in fabric layers of many kinds. In .Figi 2 the layers 'of twisted cord A and B are wound at right angles tb each other in closely approximated parallel rows as described in 'my former application, one layer running at an angle of l45 and the other layer running at an angle of 1350, toany longitudinal surface line on that layer. The zones are clearly shown 'at Z and Z respectively.

4,In Fig. S-,the two layers 'a and (Lf are formed of parallel equally spaced bands, arranged in ei ht. series ito form a four' group system o two ply fabric.4 The annularzones are clearly shown at Z and Z. This fabric is laminated, not woven, braided or interlaced in any manner, but is formed of layers composed of series of three arallel fibrous cords forming bands Woun parallel -to each other at apredetermined angle on `a mandrel,l and one series-so spaced in relation to other series thattlie other series just fill thespaces between the members of the first'series, and wound alternately with an equal lnumber of-series similarly spaced, and wound at-an anglethereto, which may be showna right'angle. The .first of the latter series is wound onthe first of the former series and the remainder of each serieswound 'alternately in the same order, and all series compressed to fill all openings, and cohering hesve 'm'ater1al, such'as vulcanizable rubber.

Having described ythe invention'what I claim as new and desireto secure by'Letters Patent isz,l

1. In a-pneumaticltire, a layer of vfibrous members therein,v inclosing the sides and together ina coating of ad-' tread surface, said layer 'composed of twisted cords, and having an integral annular zone-therein, the cords in whichhave a greateramount of .twist than in the other portions, the limit of elasticity of the fibrous members in said zone being greater than in the fibrous members composing the rest of said layer. A

Q. In a pneumatic tire, a layer of fibrous members therein composed of twisted cords and havin integral annular zones therein, one on eaci side of the tread side, the cords in whichl zones have a greater amount of twist than in the othery portions, the limit of elasticity in the fibrous members composing the said Zones being greater than in the fibrous members composing'the rest of said layer. 3. In a pneumatictire, a layer composed of twisted'cords elastically unitedlv together, each cord provided with regularly recurring zones; in, which the limit of elasticity is greater 'than in other portions, the corresponding zone'portions in said cords forming corresponding annular zone .portions'in said layer.

4. In a pneumatic tire, layers composed of unwoven` laminated cohering .regularly spaced bands of fibrous materials, laid at aniangle to the sides of the tire, a lining of vulcanizable material, and an outer layer for controlling tbe limitl of expansibility of the tire, said layers each provided with annular integral zones, in which, the ratio of elasticity is greater than in t-he other por tions. l

5. In apneumatic tire, layers composed ofimwoven laminated`cohering regularly spaced bands of fibrous material, and a more-rigid controlling outer layer composed ofparallel twisted cords, corresponding portions of said twisted cords havinga greater limit of' expansibility4 than other portions,

whereby-annular zones' are formed in the tire, having a higher degree of expansibility than otherl portions.

In. testimony whereof, I hereuntoset myl hand this 14th day of October 1910.

LAWRENCE A. s'UBERs.

Inv presence of- ERNEST MosMAN,

S. L. EXLINE. 

